Good Site for the Milky Way?

[johnhennessy]

Does anyone have a suggestion for a good site from which to photograph the Milky Way, especially in or near Northern California? I can deal with some light pollution if necessary. What I am looking for is a clear shot of the east to south quarter of the sky with a low horizon. Thanks.

[degrub]

Sounds like you want to be on top of a volcano away from the cities.

Hiking involved or drive up ?

How about Lassen either Mount or Volanic NP ? LVNP even has a shot of the Milky Way on their web page.
Or Crater Lake ?

Are the high meadows open in Yosemite , East side ?

High desert in Nevada ? Death Valley ?

A little further South - Bryce Canyon or Canyonlands NP ?

[dreed]

Does anyone have a suggestion for a good site from which to photograph the Milky Way, especially in or near Northern California? I can deal with some light pollution if necessary. What I am looking for is a clear shot of the east to south quarter of the sky with a low horizon. Thanks.

Time of year is more important than location for Milky Way photography.

[Peter McLennan]

Sounds like you want to be on top of a volcano away from the cities.

Hiking involved or drive up ?

How about Lassen either Mount or Volanic NP ? LVNP even has a shot of the Milky Way on their web page.
Or Crater Lake ?

Are the high meadows open in Yosemite , East side ?

High desert in Nevada ? Death Valley ?

A little further South - Bryce Canyon or Canyonlands NP ?

My limited experience is that high elevations in DVNP show significant light pollution from both Los Vegas and Los Angeles.

[maddogmurph]

https://darksitefinder.com/maps/world.html#4/39.00/-98.00

Anywhere on this map that's not highlighted. You're looking for dark sky locations.

[NikoJorj]

Don't know if the question is still open after one year, but yes the light pollution map is the most useful tool.
A few tricks :
- having a light pollution source on your back (ie to the NW when you are shooting the rising Milky Way to the SE) is less problematic than in front of you, if your target is low in the sky,
- the altitude can mitigate a bit of the LP : all things being equal, you get (a bit) less LP if you're higher. Depends much of the dryness and layers of the atmosphere, of course.